Vehicle wheel



Jan. 22 {1924- .Lvl- COHEN l VEHICLE WHEEL Filed Feb. 25 1.922

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 f f g ll/ENTOR.

BY f

Jari. 1924. Y

J. L. COHEN VEHICLE WHEEL Filed Feb. 25 A 1.922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A T TORNEY INVE Patented dan. 22, i924.

'E' i? F1@ JOSEPH L. COHEN, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

VEHICLE WHEEL.

Application filed February 25, 1922. Serial N50. 539,123.

' State of New York, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Vehicle Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to vehicle wheels, and more particularly to wheels of the type including sets of resilient spoke elements.

rin object of the invention is to cheapen and simplify the construction of wheels of such type, and to produce a wheel which shall be stronger and more durable than such wheels as heretofore constructed.

An important feature of the invention consists in the provision of means for securing the inner ends of the spoke elements to the hub, constructed and arranged to constrain the spoke elements against lateral movement, and to permit their inner end portions 'to yield longitudinally of the elements. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the inner ends of the spoke elements are arranged to abut against the periphery of the hub of the wheel, and the spoke elements of each set are spaced from each other and maintained against lateral movement in the plane of the wheel by rollers carried by the hub between the inner etnd portions of the elements. The spoke elements are also preferably provided on their inner ends with spacing members of such thickness relatively toI the thickness of the spoke elements and the distance between adjacent rollers, and the rollers are arranged at such a distance from the peripheral surface of the hub, as to obviate all possibility of the inner ends of the spoke elements being withdrawn from between the rollers. A further feature of the invention contemplates the provision in each set of spoke elements of a resilient metal strip bent upon itself inthe plane of the wheel adjacent to the feilly, and having its inner end portions secured to the hub of the wheel so as to provide a pair of spoke e1ements, and means for rigidly supporting the strip at its bent portion.

The invention also aims to provide the combination with strips constituting spoke elements and having their transverse sections arranged axially of the hub of a wheel, of means for spacing the strips at their outer edges from their securing means, and

a third spoke element comprising a resilient strip having its ends inserted into the spaces provided on the outer sides of the first-mentioned strips between their edges and the securing means. Still other objects and features of the invent-ion will appear as the description proceeds, and will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the` drawings in which like reference. numerals indicate identical parts in the various views:

1 is a view in side elevation and partly in section of a wheel constructed in accordance with the invention, and

Fig. 2 is a view looking from the right in Fig. 1, and having itsupper portion taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

The illustrated construction comprises a hub 2 formed at its rear end with van integral upwardly extending flange 4, and being provided at its front end with the usual threaded hub cap 6. The hub 2 is connected by sets 8 of spoke elements to a felly 10 which is formed on its inner and outer edges with inwardly extending lugs 12. Mounted in the lugs 12 on opposite sides of the felly are rods 14 carrying rollers 16 spaced from the inner surface of the felly 10.

'Each of the sets 8 of spoke elements comprises a resilient metal strip bent upon itself, as indicated at 20, in the plane of the wheel about one of the rollers 16, thus providing a pair of resilient spoke elements 22 having their transverse sections arranged. axially of the hub 2, or, in other words, transversely vof the plane of the wheel. The inner ends 26 of the spoke elements 22 are arranged to abut against the peripheral surface of the hub 2. i

The means for securing the spoke elements 22 to the hub 2 preferably comprises a ring 28 surrounding a reduced portion- 29 of the hub and adapted for engagement at its outer end with an outwardly extend-v ing flange 3() on the hub cap 6. The ring 28 is caused to rotate with the hub 2 by means of keys 32 formed on the hub 2 and engagingcorrespondingly shaped slots or channels in the inner surface of the ring 28. The ring 28 is formed to providea flange extending outwardly from` the hub 2 in substantial parallelism with the Bange 4, and the ring 28 is further held 'against` axial, movement on the hub 2 bolts 36 passing through the anges 4 and lio' 34 coneentrically of the axis oit the hub 2. Carried on the bolts 36 are rollers 38 which are disposed between the inner end portions of the elements 22 of each ot the sets 8 ot spoke elements. Secured tothe spoke ele-v ments 22 at the outer sides of their inner end portions by screws or other suitable lastenings 42 are spacing members 40, the thickness ot which is so proportioned to the thickness ot the spoke elements 22 at their inner ends and to the distance between adjacent rollers 38 as to cause the adjacent spoke elements 22 ot contiguous sets ot such elements to" be maintained tightly against theirn respective' rollers.

The spoke elements 22 are preferably curved substantially unitormly between the rollers i6 and 38, the point of maximum remoteness oi" such elements being located substantially halt way between the rollers. The rear edges of the elements 22 are also preferably curved attheir inner portions, as indicated at e4, in'Fig. 2, the base ot the flanged of the hub 2 being correspondingly curved to assure a'tight iit between the spoke elements and the hub.l Preferably,

and as shown, the outer edges t6 at the inner' ends ofthespoke elements 22 are substan tially straight and are spaced from the flange 34tof the ring 28 byv a spacing ring {JL-8, Fig. 2, 'for a purpose to be hereinafter described. The length 'ot the rollers 88 is greater-'than the width ot the spoke ele ments 22 by the width of the spacing ring, 48, so that when the nuts are tightened on' the bolts '36 tbeliange 3e may be drawn tightly against the outer ends of the rollers.

The strip from which the spoke elements 22 are formed is rigidly supported at its bentportion` 2O by n member' OhaVing its inner surface spaced trom the periphery of the roller 16 and arranged in substantially concentric relation with the roller. The

members are tl-shaped in longitudinall section and rhave their leg portions 52 mounted on the rods le between the edges of the spoke elements 22 and the inner surfacesy ol the lugs l2.` The leg52 o't the member 50 at the outer side of the, spokefelements is formed with a boss 5i which serves to space' the` outer edges of the spoke elements -22 from the adjacent lug l2.`

Each ot the sets8 ofispoke elements in addition to the spoke elements 22 includes a resilient strip 56 having` its transversesections arranged in the plane ot' the wheel and being yreverse'ly curved at its endswhi'ch are received within the spaces provided by the spacing ring 48 and the boss 54 on the mem-y ber 50; As shownf7 the inner and outer ends and the bosses 5l respectively. .fis shown, the spokeelenients or strips 56 are oi substantially the same curvature and thickness 'the spoke elements 22. rl`he elements 56, however, are'perinitted to flex only between the adjacent surfaces ot the rollers 88 and the bosses 5e. whereas the spoke elements or strips 22 may tleX within a range limited substantially by thc centers ot the rods 14 and bolts 86. Accordingly, the tension ot the strips 56 is somewhat greater than that of the strips 22.

The wheel is provided with a rim 60 haying outwardly turned lianges at its edges which 'embrace a solid tire 62 composed of rubber or other suitable material; The rim 60 is maintained in place on the telly l0 by wedge rings Gel which are adapted to be forced inwardly from the side edges of the telly l0 by means ot cleats 66. The cleats 66 are disposed on the outerl sides ot the lugs l2 and are termed with openings litting over the rods 14:. Accordingly, the cleats-66- arelforced inwardly upon the wedge rings 6e; when the nut 68 on the rod 14 is turned in.` From the foregoing, it will be understood that the rods 'le not only` secure the spoke elements 22 to the telly l() but also` constitute a part ot the inea-ns tor locking `the rim 60in` position on the telly.

rlhe telly' lO is made oi rigid material and does -not Hex in the use ot' the wheel. Accordingly, when the spoke elements which bear'the load inthe use ot the wheel are flexed, thefelly l() is moved to a more or less eccentric position with relation to the aXis oi" the hub. Upon the flexing ot' the spoke elements on the lower side ot the wheel, those on the upper side or' the wheel tend to straighten outI and also to yield longitudinally. at their inner end portions. By reason ot thetafsh however, that the rollers 38 are spaced by a considerable distance trom the hub 2 and the spoke elements 22 are maintained tightly against the rollers 38 by the spacing members 40, the spoke elements are prevented trom being pulled away trom between the rollers 88j lt has been found that by the' use ot this construction, the resilient. spoke elements may be reliably secured of their inner end portions to the hub 2without1direct interlocking relation bet veen the spoke yelements and the securingineans. such as is usually provided, In the provision ot interlocking mechanism, it is usual` toproride the inner end portions of the spoke elements with openings or notches which' in connection with the securing means not only prevent any longitudinal yielding movement'of the sgoke elements. but which also detract considerably fromftlie strength of such elements. i Thetinvention also avoids the use, in positions where such parts would be subjected to strain, ot small parts, such as bolts or screws, Awhich are likely to be llO (itl

broken or loosened by strain and thus reduce the durability of the wheel. 0n the contrary, the spoke elements of my im. proved wheel are secured in position both at their inner and outer ends by relatively few parts, and all parts which are in a position to be subjected to strain are adapted to be made of such size as to resist the strain without injury. lt. will, therefore, be manifest that this wheel, because of its relatively few and simple parts, can be very cheaply constructed` and that the improved wheel is also very strong and durable.

Having fully described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a vehicle wheel, a hub, a telly, a plurality of resilient spoke elements each consisting of a resilient spoke plate bent inter? mediate of its ends to provide oppositely bowed portions extending between the 'hub and felly, means for securing the intermediate portion of the spoke plate to the felly, and means mounted in the wheel hub between the ends of the spoke plate spacing said ends apart but permitting of their radial movement with respect to the hub in the flexing action of the bowed portions of the spoke plate.

2. ln a vehicle wheel. a hub, a felly, a plurality of resilient spoke elements each consisting` of a resilient spoke plate bent intermediate of its ends to provide op`- positely bowed portions extending between the hub and felly, means for securing the intermediate portion of the spolre plate to the felly, and a roller mounted in the wheel hub interposed between the ends of the spoke plate to space the same apa-rt, the ends of the pla-te having tangential cont-act upon the periphery of the roller and moving* radially of the hub in the flexing movement of the bowed portions of said pla-te.

3. In a. vehicle wheel. a hub, a felly a plurality of resilient spoke elements each consisting of a resilient spoke plate bent intermediate of its ends to provide oppositely bowed portions extending between the hub and telly, means for securing the inter" mediate portion of the spoke plate to the felly, a roller mounted in the wheel hub ine terposed between the ends of the spoke plate to space the same apart, the ends of the plate having tangential contact upon the periphery of the roller and moving` radially of the hub in the exing movement of the bowed portions of said pla-te, and spacing means positioned in the hub between the ends of adjacent spoke plates to maintain said plates in contact with the rollers and prevent the relative` movement of the ends of adjacent spoke plates circumferentially of the wheel hub.

4. In a vehicle wheel, a hub, a telly, a plurality of sets of rollers each comprising a roller mounted on the felly and a roller carried by the hub, a plurality of resilient spoke elements each having its medial por tion engaged around one roller of a set and its ends arranged on opposite sides of the other roller of said set, and means for .sey

curing the sets of spoke elements in place on the wheel.

5. In a vehicle wheel, hub7 a felly, a plurality of sets of rollers each comprising a roller mounted on the felly and a roller carried by the hub, a plurality of sets of spolre elements each comprising a resilient metal strip associated with one of said sets of rollers, said strip being bent upon itself about one of the first-mentioned rollers and having its end portions arranged on opposite sides of the last-mentioned roller of said set, and means for securing the end portions of said strip to the hub.

6. 1n a vehicle wheel, a hub, a felly, a plurality of sets o-f spoke elements connecting said felly to said hub, each of said sets comprising a. resilient metal strip bent upon itself and connected to the felly and having its ends arranged to abut against saidhub, spacing members on the end portions of said strip, each of said spacing members being arranged to contact with the spacing member on the adjacent end of the contiguous strip, a roller carried by the hub between the ends of said strip and coactin with said spacingmembers to prevent laterailr movement of the ends of the strip in the plane of the wheel, and means for securing the ends of said strip against axial movement relatively to the hub of the wheel.

7. In a vehicle wheel, a hub, a felly, members extending inwardly from the felly, a plurality of sets of spoke elements each comprising a strip of resilient metal bent upon itself in the plane of the wheel and having its bent portion mounted in said members, means for securing said strip to said hub. and means for spacing said strip from said members and said securing means. each of said sets of spolre elements also com-` prising a resilient element curved transversely of the plane of the wheel. and said element extending between the hub and the felly and having its ends arranged in the spaces provided by said spacing means.

8. In a vehicle wheel, a hub. a fe-lly, members extending inwardl. from the opposite side edges of the felly, a plurality of sets of spoke elements each comprising a strip of resilient metal bent upon itself in the plane of the wheel and having its bent portion mounted in said members, means for supporting the bent portion of the. strip and spacing it from the member at the outer side of the felly, a flange on the hub engaging the rear edge of the strip at its inner end, a spacing` ring on the hub for engagement with the outer edge of the strip opposite from said flange, and a securing ring mounted on said hub and formed with :in outwardly extending ange arranged to fit against the Spacing ring7 each of said Sets of spoke elements also including a, resilient strip curved transversely of the plane of the Wheel andl lmvingwits ends reversely curved and arranged in the spaces provided by Said spacing means and said ringr with its inner and outer ends in engagement respectively with the flange on the Securing ring and one 10 of Sayid inwardly extending members on the Yfelly.

In testmony that I daim the foregoing as myl invention, I have signed my name.

JOSEPH L. COHEN. 

